We need government support for industry and economic growth, says Whisky producer
By Trek Africa Newspaper
Managing Director/CEO, M.P. Masterpiece Nigeria Limited (Makers of Skirt blended brandy and Kubanah Whisky both Produced in Nigeria), Chief Emeka Ike
All over the world, proper and adequate support of industries by government is what causes industrial and economic developments in any given environment.
Visionary leaders focus on this to bring about rapid national growth, development and as well attain global competitiveness, and enshrine such country in the Common Wealth of Nation.
Following this, government of any country needs to support, protect production process by providing conducive environment that guarantees optimal operation for industrialists.
However, every producer needs steady power supply to thrive in business. Well planned transportation system is important to aid producers convey goods from area of production to the marketplace.
Again, multiple taxation, custom duties, forex, insecurity etc. must be looked into by government in order to secure our industrial sector in Nigeria. Presently, there is heat and cry in the manufacturing sector unconducive environment and some unfriendly policies.
Speaking with the media on how Nigeria can regain its industrial position, the Managing Director/CEO, M.P. Masterpiece Nigeria Limited, makers of Skirt blended brandy and Kubanah Whisky both produced in Nigeria, Chief Emeka Ike, said that Nigeria is our country and we all must join hands together to fix the country.
According to him, for individual’s efforts to yield result, the young CEO has advised the government to encourage and support local producers with conducive environment. “If Nigeria’s production processes is not revertalised, the country will not develop and our GDP will not grow”.
Continuing, Ike said, industries in Nigeria are still battling with the issue of epileptic power supply which has forced industries to spend profit on diesel, thereby struggle to pay salaries and therefore had been forced to downsize manpower which now populates the labour market. If government can support industries with power supply, drastically unemployment will be reduced, and more hands will be engaged in production. The issue of power supply has forced a lot of industries to leave our country for neighbouring countries since they couldn’t cope with the cost of production here. Some of the indigenous industries had gone extinction”.
Some of us that believe that Nigeria has what it takes to be great industrial nation is pleading with government to address the issue of power supply, multiple taxation, cost of clearing goods at our ports, transportation system, forex, policies, security etc.”
When these things are addressed, definitely our industries will pick up, foreign investors will begin to come and the economy will grow. We need environment that would give birth to new industries that will create job opportunities for our university graduates, and support the existing ones to grow. When this happens, it is another means of fighting hunger and poverty in Nigeria. When jobs are created for the citizens and they earn salaries, hunger and poverty is reduced in many families”.
Ike, who through the production of his Skirt blended brandy and Kubanah Whisky the latest of his production has created job opportunities for Nigerians especially the youths said, he believes much in the use of local content for production processes, and Nigeria has what it takes to become highly industrialised and qualify for the commonwealth of nation”.
His Skirt blended brandy and Kubanah Whisky have been Nigerian’s first choice in the market and it has been competing favourable since he ventured into the production of whisky in 2015.
